The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-07
THE CENTRAL REPAIRED.
HOW THE GAPS MADE BY THE
FLOOD WERE CLOSED.

The Road Now in Perfect Order--Gen-
eral Manager Belknap's Account of
the Work otthe Freshet-The WASH
out at Ocouee and How the Road Was
Rebuilt.
Mr. NJ S. Belknap, General Manager of
the Central railroad, has now got the road
in order again and started all trains to rum
ming on schedule time. Mr.. Belllnap said
Yesterday that the floods bad subsidized,
SO that there was no further danger
from washouts. An enormous amount OF
work was required 10 put the roadbed in a
safe condition for traffic, and it was done
in remarkably short space of time, The
only serious break was the Que at Oconee,
previously spoken of in the MORNING
News. Mr. Belknap left Savannah for
that point on Tuesday last and reached
Oconee after travelling all the way around
by Waycross, Albany and Macon. As
his special train got within tow
miles of Oconee he found That
the track was submerged, and for five
miles the train ran through water. 1T
was q dangerous run, said Mr. Belknap,
''but we knew that one of two things would
happen: if the track was there we knew
we would go through all right, and if it was
not, we would 60 in a hole" So he took his
chances and got through safely.
THE GAP AT oCoEEE.
Arriving at Oconee, he found that about
500 feet of the roadbed had been washed
away The trnckmen said that
no work could be done because
the water was too deep and the river
was running too swiftly, but Mr.. Belknap
found a darkey who consented to try and
wade the river TO find its depth. After lie
had relieved himself of his surplus clothing
he started across using pole to steady him
self. Two or three times those on the bank
thought he would be swept away, but he
succeeded in making the opposite bank
without going deeper than his waist in
water. Finding that tine water was no
deeper than that Mr.. Bellxnap at once
started the men at work cribbing the road
and then telegraphed TO Macon and
had a train load of laborers sent
down to constitute n night force. When
the day men knocked off Wednesday even
ing the night men were putt to work and
they kept at it until morning when the day
force resumed.
BY THE LIGHT OF TORCHES.
Mr.. Belknap said: at was a curious
sight TO see that immense force of men
working there at night. Torches were
placed at intervals along the track and be-
tween and among them moved the men
from one point to another, building
up the road through the water
They were q busy lot and did more work
than any other night force / ever saw. 1t
is a very difficult thing % keep laborers at
work at night because they viii sneak off
into the bushes and go to sleep, but they
could not do that this time. There was wa
ter on both sides Of the road, and we had a
bridge Waterman Oh one end and guard on
the other, and we had them hemmed in. They
could have slept oH the side of the embank-
ment, but they were afraid of rolling down
into the water" The next day at o'clock
tine road was in order and the trains were
started.
THE ROAD FULLY REPAIRED.
This food has rather surprised the Central
managers, for they thought that the water
ways on tbe road would give free outlet TO
all the water that would ever be poured
down at one time. No damage would
have been done if the rains had been first IN
one section, then another, but the rain was
50 general and so heavy that enormous
amount of drainage made every gully
a creek and every creek a river, and
the volume of water that had to be con-
tended with was something immense, but
prompt action has quickly put the road in
order, and no further interruption of travel
will occur. The trestle which was washed
away at 0geechee Friday night has been re-
paired. 1t had been weakened but blocked
up for temporary use, and the river swept
away the blocks and the trestle with them.
1t was small job, however, TO put in new
trestle and close the last gap in the line.